A Long Way To The Starting Point
by DobbyRocksSocks
Summary: Harry is drifting from place to place, unsure of what he's supposed to be doing. With good friends, and people looking out for him, he finally realises that where he started is exactly where he needs to get back to.


**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count - 5210**

* * *

 **A Long Way To The Starting Point**

* * *

"You should get some rest, Harry," Poppy murmured, resting a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her with eyes too old for his seventeen years.

"Everytime I try, I see… I see things I never want to see again," he admitted quietly. "So I'll wait, until I can't keep my eyes open anymore, because at least then I'll be too tired to dream."

"I can get you a potion?"

He shook his head. "Thanks, but… that kind of sleep is addictive and, well, I've got enough problems without adding a potion addiction."

She smiled tiredly. "Well, the bed at the end of the ward is yours if you want it."

"Thanks, Madam Pomfrey."

"Poppy, dear."

His lips tilted up in a smile and he nodded to her. She left him there, pausing at the doorway to look back. Of all the beds for him to take up vigil beside, she'd never have expected him to be sat by Severus Snape.

…

"Why… why is Potter sitting beside my bed?"

Poppy rolled her eyes. "Clearly because he was worried about you," she muttered, being careful to keep her voice low. The last thing she wanted was to wake the poor boy up. He didn't get nearly enough sleep.

"That answers absolutely nothing," he muttered, waving at her hands fussing at his neck wound. "Did he…"

"The war is over, Severus," she murmured, softening slightly. "Harry did what he needed to do."

Snape nodded, glancing at the sleeping teen. "He was supposed to die."

"He did."

He blinked once, twice, three times before he croaked, "What?"

"Took a second killing curse, this time to his chest. I was the one to look at the mark. He… none of this is mine to tell, Headmaster. You should speak with him."

"He shouldn't want anything to do with me," Snape grumbled.

"That wouldn't explain his presence beside your bed though, would it? Not to mention that he's been there for almost a fortnight."

"Two weeks? Really? What on earth is he thinking?"

"I'm thinking," Harry murmured, blinking his green eyes open, "that it's peaceful here, in a way it will never be out there."

Snape watched the tilt of Harry's head towards the door leading out of the Hospital Wing.

"I also wanted to thank you," Harry added. "And apologise. I didn't make your job easy, did I?"

"When have you ever made anything easy, Potter?" Snape asked, raising his eyebrow.

Harry's neck flushed pale pink. "Point. I'm glad you're awake, Headmaster."

Poppy and Snape could only watch as Harry stood from the chair he'd been sleeping in and stretched for a long moment before he walked out of the Hospital Wing.

…

Snape and Poppy waited days for him to return. He didn't.

…

Severus was sitting up in bed, flicking through a potions journal, when the door creaked open. He looked up immediately, surprised to see Potter sneaking in. It was the middle of the night after all, he should be fast asleep.

"I… didn't expect you to be awake," Potter admitted, when he saw Severus watching him.

"Most wouldn't," Severus replied flatly. "Given that it's just after three o'clock in the morning."

Potter rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I, uh, just wanted to give these back." He raised a vial filled with the memories Severus had given him when he'd been certain that he was going to die.

Potter hesitated for a moment before he placed the vial carefully on the table beside Severus's bed.

"I… I'm leaving tomorrow so. This is probably the last you'll see of me, at least for a while."

"Where are you going?" Severus asked.

"Auror training starts in two days so I'm going to settle in in the flats they've given us."

There was something flat, something… missing in Potter's tone. Severus frowned.

"You haven't taken your NEWT's, how did you get into Auror training?"

"Haven't you heard, Headmaster? We fought and won a war. We don't need exam scores to tell them that we're good enough."

"You're still a child. Who else of your class is going into this?"

"Ron. Dean. Neville. I don't know about anyone else. It's… expected."

"But is it what you want?"

Potter snorted. "What I want doesn't matter, Sir."

"Potter, what do you want?"

"I want… I want to live my life the way I want. To not be followed by people with cameras, or people asking for autographs, or… I just want to be Harry, but I haven't been 'just Harry' since I was eleven years old."

"You're a hero," Severus said after a moment. "You could do or be whatever you wanted to."

"You don't really believe that," Potter replied quietly. "I never wanted to be a hero; hell, I'm _not_ a hero. I do dumb things, and the people I love the most, they pay the price for it."

"Potter… regardless of what anyone else has done or said, you _are_ a hero. You did something thought to be impossible, and you saved a lot of lives by doing it. Don't let _him_ steal the rest of your life as well."

"Sometimes… sometimes, who we wish we were, what we wish we could do, it's just not meant to be. I've accepted that, and it's fine. I'm alive, and honestly, that's probably a miracle all on it's own. Goodnight Sir, I hope you recover quickly."

Severus could do nothing but watch him walk away. He wondered when Potter had become a man and he wondered how he had missed that.

…

Hogwarts was rebuilt.

Severus was reinstated.

Life carried on, as life was wont to do.

…

"You look like a bag of dicks."

Harry blinked. "Have a lot of experience with bags of dicks, do you?" he asked.

Hermione snorted while Ron shoved Harry.

"Seriously though, mate. You look _rough,"_ Ron said, his concern genuine.

Harry shrugged. "Be glad you dropped out of Auror Training when you did. They are _cruel."_

"I don't understand why you're still there, Harry," Hermione said, looking up from her book. "You're clearly not happy there."

Harry shrugged, relaxing into the sofa beside Ron. "It's expected."

"Screw expectations, Harry," Ron scoffed. "You've done enough."

Harry smiled tiredly and closed his eyes. It was the first time he'd felt comfortable in three weeks; since the last time he'd been at Hermione's flat with his best friends.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a little while, and Harry had almost dropped off to sleep when he heard Hermione give a frustrated huff. He opened his eyes and looked at her, raising his eyebrow.

"What's up?"

"This spell," she muttered. "I need to learn it for my next class and I just can't get the wand movement down."

"Let me see?"

Hermione raised her eyebrow but handed the book over. Harry looked over the page, then took his wand out.

"I think," he murmured, twisting his wand in an intricate pattern, "it means like this."

She watched him with wide eyes then asked him to repeat the movement a second and third time.

When she copied him, she got the spell right the first time.

"You're a natural," she said as he handed the book back, putting his wand back into its holster. "Did you never think of healing as a career?"

He raised his eyebrow at her. "You know I did."

She blushed and nodded. It was, after all, Harry's fault that Hermione had decided to pursue healing in the first place. He'd been the one to first show an interest, and it had been his pamphlets that had convinced her it was what she wanted to do.

Over a year into his Auror training, and Hermione had forgotten that he'd ever wanted to do anything else.

"You should think about transferring," she said.

Harry shook his head. "I can't. I won't… I won't let anyone think I couldn't hack being an Auror. I won't give up, Hermione. I can't."

She opened her mouth to argue with him, but Ron butted in before she could. "Have you ever had toasted marshmallows, Harry? Hermione introduced me to them last week, and oh my Merlin, they're so _good!"_

Harry snorted. "Can't say I have, mate."

"Hermione," Ron said loudly. "You need to get them skewer things. And marshmallows. Harry needs it in his life."

"Ron -"

"Nope," Ron shook his head. "Nothing is more important than this. Chop chop."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him but got up to go to the kitchen.

"Thanks, Ron," Harry mumbled, while she was out of the room.

"I got your back, mate."

…

Auror training finished.

Harry passed with flying colours and got his first assignment.

He hated every second of it.

…

"You're not happy here."

"Minister -"

"Kingsley," came the expected correction. "And please don't lie to me, Harry. You're not happy in the Auror department."

"If there's been a complaint about my work -"

"There hasn't. All of the senior Aurors tell me how hardworking you are, and your closure rate speaks for itself, even now. Harry… what do you want to do."

Harry looked down at the desk for a moment before he returned his gaze to Kingsley's.

"I want to escape being Harry Potter," he admitted. "I want… I want to be just another person. Just Harry. It's all I've ever wanted."

Kingsley sighed. "Well. I can't give you that but… I want you to think about whether or not you really want to be an Auror. Honestly. I can see you rising through the ranks quickly, and I have no doubt that you'd be successful. But I don't think you'd be happy with it, and your happiness is just as important as everyone else's, Harry."

…

Notice was given.

Harry Potter entered Healer Training.

For the first time in his life, he felt _right._

…

"I am getting too old for this job," Poppy complained, leaning back in her comfortable armchair.

Minerva snorted. "You and me both. Have you asked Severus for help?"

Poppy shook her head. "Not as yet. I will be asking him to have someone new brought in to give me a hand for the new school year though. Hopefully it will be someone competent that I can hand off the reigns too in a few years."

"Miss Granger is doing well at Saint Mungo's," Minerva said thoughtfully after a moment. "She's finished her training with good scores."

Poppy nodded, her lips tilting up. "I heard about that, I'm happy for her. Harry… Harry is interesting. I think he'd fit in well here, no?"

"You think Severus will agree to bring Harry Potter back to the castle?"

"I think he'd be more than happy too," Poppy replied, sure of herself. "The two of them… they may have warred when Harry was still a child, but you didn't see them after that battle, Minerva. You didn't see the way Severus _understood_ Harry, nor the was Harry _tempered_ Severus. I think… I think they could work well together."

"It sounds like it would either be an unmitigated disaster, or a stroke of pure genius," Minerva replied with a smirk. "It would certainly liven the place up. It's been very… quiet for the last few years."

"That's a good thing, no?"

"Ah, we all enjoy a little chaos now and then, Poppy. Keeps us young."

…

"He said no?" Poppy asked, raising her eyebrow.

Snape shrugged elegantly. "He replied to the letter and very courteously declined the offer to return to Hogwarts. He made it clear that it might be something he'll be interested in later in life, but for right now he wishes to decline."

Poppy blinked. "Huh." She had to admit, she hadn't expected that at all.

…

"You're specialising in the children's department?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrow. "I thought you found that particularly difficult when you were doing your section work?"

Harry nodded, swallowing the food in his mouth before he replied, "I wanted a challenge and… I want to help, Hermione. With the kids… with the kids I can do some good, you know? And they don't care who I am beyond the person that's hopefully going to make them feel better."

Hermione nodded. "I understand, just… make sure you talk to someone if it's a lot, okay? Working with the children is always going to be hard."

"It's also more rewarding than most," Harry countered. "But I will, I promise. I… I'm finally doing something I want to do, Hermione. I keep thinking it's going to get snatched out from under me."

"You're allowed to be happy, Harry."

"It's… yeah. I think it's just taking a while for that message to sink in. Anyway, enough about me, I heard from Ginny that you went on a date last weekend."

"She's a bloody gossip."

"Not wrong though, is she?"

Hermione blushed.

…

 _Dear Mr Potter,_

 _I am sad to inform you of the passing of our Matron, Poppy Pomfrey. She died late last night in her sleep._

 _While Poppy healed many a student over the years, I do believe that she had her favourites, and I'm equally sure that you are amongst them._

 _In her will, she's asked that you are amongst those to attend her small funeral where she will be laid to rest with the rest of her family._

 _She's also left a letter behind for you, that I shall pass along upon your presence at the below time and date stated._

 _Please come, Harry. Poppy adored you._

 _Headmaster Severus Snape._

…

Severus watched Potter standing off to the side, looking immaculately dressed and very uncomfortable. He was alone, and his eyes held a far off look of someone remembering not very pleasant memories.

He crossed the grassy gap between them.

"Potter," he greeted quietly.

"Headmaster. How are you?"

"I wish we were meeting again under better circumstances, but aside from the loss of Poppy, I am well. Yourself?"

"I'm good," Potter replied quietly. He hesitated for a moment before he asked, "Your letter said that Poppy had left a letter for me?"

Severus nodded, reaching into the inner pocket of his robes. He handed over the heavy parchment, unsurprised when Potter opened it almost immediately. He'd always been impulsive after all.

What did surprise him was the way Potter's face first paled and then coloured with a pink blush that spread from his cheeks to the tips of his ears.

"Did you know about this?" he asked, glancing up to look at Severus.

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage."

"Poppy has made it… abundantly clear, that she believes I belong at Hogwarts. Specifically as the new healer."

Severus knew, of course, that Poppy had thought Potter would be a good replacement for her. He couldn't help but be curious as to why such a thing had made Potter blush though.

"It's still not something you wish to do?" he asked instead.

"I… it's not that simple," Potter hedged. "I'm being useful at the hospital. I… I'm helping people."

"You don't think that you would be useful at Hogwarts?"

"I think I bring trouble to Hogwarts," Potter admitted ruefully. "And I'm not sure if it's such a good idea to put that to the test."

"I will be the last person to deny you as a trouble maker," Severus replied, his lips tilting up. "But you are no longer a boy. You are a man now, and from what I've heard over the years, a responsible one. I believe Hogwarts would benefit from your presence."

"I'll think about it," Potter said after a long pause.

…

Severus didn't have to wait long until he had a letter.

He didn't ponder as to the warm feeling when he read it. He simply passed it off as relief that he didn't have to interview for a new healer.

…

Being back at Hogwarts was different. Harry hadn't been sure what to expect, but he felt… like he was at home again.

It made him happy. Really happy.

Which in turn made him nervous because he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Being the healer meant that he didn't have to go to the Great Hall for meals beyond the first feast of the year, something that he was infinitely grateful for since he still struggled sometimes with large crowds of people.

Hermione called it PTSD. Harry decided he had an allergy to stupid people. He didn't have the patience for gushing or hero worship, and even now, years after fact, he still often found himself the recipient of both.

Oddly, he found himself most comfortable when discussing potions he was in need of for the Hospital Wing with Snape. Those discussions often led to other subjects, and it was constantly surprising when the two of them were on the same wavelength about such an array of subjects.

It also helped to quash the loneliness Harry had started to feel, being sequestered away from his friends as he was.

He imagined that was why he didn't catch his mistake until it was too late.

…

Hermione was practically shining with happiness. It was a good look on her, Harry thought. Theo stood beside her, his hand resting in the small of her back possessively.

Harry never would have expected the two of them to work back when Ginny told him that she'd gone on a date with the Slytherin, but he was glad that his best friend was happy.

Ron was across the bar, his arm resting on Lavender's shoulders comfortably.

Seeing all his friends settled was a little strange he had to admit. He was happy for all of them, of course he was but it made him realise how little he actually had in his own life.

Sure, he had his work, but… perhaps he'd put too much emphasis on his career, hiding away in it to stop himself facing the reality of dating. Harry didn't much like the idea of putting his heart on the line.

Nor did he like the idea of being vulnerable with another person.

Hermione crossed the bar to join Ginny, and Harry raised his eyebrow at Theo, gesturing him over.

"Is this the time for the shovel talk?" Theo asked, his eyes appraising.

Harry lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. "If that's the way you want to take it sure. Hermione is my sister in every single way that matters."

"You know, Weasley already collared me with a long speech about why I should never hurt her."

Harry nodded and leaned closer. "You hurt her, and I'll kill you. That's all."

He walked away, leaving Theo to stare after him. He didn't need a fancy speech after all, and he'd never been one for flowery words. While Harry had promised himself that he wouldn't let Voldemort turn him into something he wasn't, he also knew that he'd burn the world for Hermione Granger.

…

"I heard from Healer Smythwick at St Mungo's over the weekend."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"

"Hmm. He was telling me all about the papers you've been looking at and the added reports you've been taking from the hospital."

"I… yes. I'm not in breach of contract by helping them out, am I?"

Snape shook his head. "No. But I do fear that you're taking on too much. You are but one man, Harry. Even the Golden Boy needs to take care of himself."

Harry rolled his eyes. "It's a few papers."

Snape stayed silent, waiting him out.

Eventually, Harry sighed. "When, just after the last battle, Poppy told me to get some rest. I told her that I don't like to sleep until I pass out, because if you pass out, you don't dream. Since then, most of me has matured, but that… I fear that will always be part of me. The nightmares are not worth the added benefits of a regular sleeping schedule, Headmaster."

"There are potions -"

"That I refuse to use," Harry interrupted quietly. "Really, Severus, I'm fine. If I ever need help, I'll ask."

Severus looked doubtful but he acquiesced after a long moment. "Very well. You know yourself best, I'm sure."

…

"You're not going to the Minister's speech?"

Harry looked up from where he'd been reading on the front steps of the castle, enjoying the sunshine. Severus and Minerva looked down at him, each looking regal in their best dress-robes.

He smiled. "I can either listen to Kingsley's speech about prosperity and peace, the same speech I've heard multiple times before, or I can sit here and catch up on the latest medical advances in the sunshine. Seems like a no brainer to me."

Minerva chuckled, her burgundy and gold robes shifting in the sun, the golf thread glinting in the light. "Well, when you put it that way, I wish I hadn't put in such effort to go myself."

"You look lovely," Harry complimented honestly. "And I'm sure the ensuing ball will also be wonderful. I just… choose to avoid such events whenever I can."

"Have a good day then," Severus murmured, and the two continued on their path across the grounds, heads together as they talked quietly. Harry watched them go for a moment before he turned his attention back to the journal.

He raised a hand to block a yawn and stretched himself out. Sleep was beginning to beckon him, and he fought it as he always did. Perhaps that night, he would be tired enough to rest for a few hours.

…

 _He was running, trying not to crash into crumbling walls. There were bodies strewn everywhere, puddles of blood making the floor slippy and wet, spells flying like strobe lights, blinding him as he tried to make his way to where he knew he had to be._

 _Everywhere he looked, the blank, dead stares of his friends looked back at him from corpses that would surely haunt him forever._

 _Hermione, dead. Ron, dead. Ginny, dead. Neville, dead. Luna, dead._

 _Snape. Dead._

 _Every single one of them a failure that Harry didn't ask for._

…

"Harry. Harry. Potter, wake up!"

Harry startled awake, sitting up abruptly, his hand automatically reaching for his wand.

"You're safe, you're fine, it's just me," Severus said, holding his hands up in the universal sign of peace.

Harry looked around him, taking in his surroundings as his heart beat too fast and his lungs struggled to keep up with his harsh panting.

He was still outside. Darkness had fallen, but his journal was splayed out beside him, and his back ached from lying on the steps for so long.

Harry swore softly, wiping his face, wet with tears or sweat or both.

"Sorry, Headmaster. I didn't mean to -"

"To pass out from exhaustion on the front steps of the castle? No, I'm rather sure you didn't."

Harry couldn't even deny his words so he didn't try. He was surprised when Severus sat down beside him, lighting a small fire using the same spell Hermione favoured when they were younger.

"It is not a weakness, to have nightmares," Severus said after a long moment. "We all have them, Harry. We, each of us, lived through horrors that nobody should ever have to live through, and they've left a mark on all of us."

Harry watched fireflies dipping around them, attracted almost immediately by the conjured flames. He played with the laces on his boots, before drawing his legs on to the next step so he could wrap his arms around his knees.

"It's not so much that I'm ashamed of the nightmares," he said. "It's more that I fear them. When… the weeks after I left Hogwarts, Ron and I, we shared a room in the Auror training flats. I had a nightmare one night, and Ron attempted to wake me from it. My reaction wasn't favourable.

"He… he was taking to medical, and the next thing I knew he was withdrawing from Auror training and working in the shop with George instead. He promises me that I didn't injure him beyond repair, and that I actually gave him the excuse he needed to leave but… I'll always wonder."

Severus' black eyes glittered in the flickering light from the fire. "Your friend would have told you if he blamed you for whatever it was that made him _choose_ to leave the Auror department. If nothing else, Potter, you've always had good taste in the people you choose to surround yourself with."

Harry nodded, because he couldn't deny that either.

"Come inside," Severus tempted. "We'll have hot chocolate and I'll tell you all about the ball you missed in excruciating detail, it'll be as if you were there."

"That shouldn't sound as tempting as it does, you know?"

Severus laughed lowly and stood, ridding the fire and stepped up the steps to the door. Harry followed after him, his heart beating fast for an entirely different reason.

"Uh-oh," he murmured to himself. He knew he was in trouble.

…

Severus was too old to lie to himself. He knew he was in love with Harry, just as sure as he knew that he wasn't good enough for the younger man. He was sure that Harry would protest such a sentence, but Severus was too old to lie to himself.

He shouldn't love Harry.

Hell, he shouldn't even like him, given their very particular history.

And yet…

There was nothing to be done for it of course. He would continue as he had, as he would always. He would be a friend for the young man, a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen.

He'd try and bring a smile to those plump lips, and a sparkle to those green eyes, and he'd curse himself to forever be a friend to a man he _craved,_ because it was his purpose.

He'd protected Harry Potter since he was eleven years old, and he would do it until the day he died.

…

"How you doing?"

Harry blinked. "I'm good," he replied. "You?"

Ron scowled. "Hermione thinks I should propose to Lavender, because her and Theo are getting married."

"Uh huh. I know. She told me. In a very, _very,_ long letter."

"What, she wrote to tell you she was getting married? You were _there_ when Theo proposed!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "No. She wrote me a very, _very,_ long letter telling me why _you_ should propose."

Ron snorted. "Of course she did."

"Are you going to propose?"

"Do you think I should?"

"Hermione's normally right."

"Yeah… yeah I guess she is. Best man, yeah?"

"Sure."

"Awesome."

There was a pause, and then Ron cleared his throat.

"So… Hermione also wrote me a _very, very, very,_ long letter."

"Uh huh."

"That you should ask Snape out."

Harry choked on his butterbeer. "Excuse you?"

Ron shrugged. "Hermione is normally right, right?"

"... except when she's not, apparently."

…

Severus hadn't seen Harry for over a week. It was decidedly odd, considering that the younger man often sought him out three or four times over a week simply for company. That wasn't counting the times when they had to actually discuss work matters.

Whenever he went to the Hospital Wing, it was empty, which given they were currently on holiday wasn't completely unusual, but Harry usually spent time in there everyday regardless.

Worried, he decided to go to Harry's private quarters to check up on the younger man.

…

Harry groaned when he heard the knock on the door. He didn't want to get up. He really, really, _really,_ didn't want to move.

He'd only just gotten himself comfortable in a position that didn't make him want to vomit, and to move now would be torture. Thankfully, he had his wand close. Blindly, he flicked it over the back of the sofa to the door.

He heard footsteps and then Severus was looking down at him from the other side of the sofa, his expression one of clear concern.

"You look terrible."

Harry snorted then winced. "Ta."

"What's wrong with you?"

"I have an infection is all," Harry replied. "I'll be fine in a couple of days."

"Uh huh."

"I will," Harry assured him, noting the way the disbelief did not chance. "Honestly."

"Uh huh."

"I'm _fine."_

"Historically, you saying that is already cause for concern," Severus muttered. "Have you taken any potions?"

Harry wrinkled his nose and Severus rolled his eyes.

"I'll be back. Do not move."

"Do I look like I have the energy to go anywhere?"

"Since when has that ever stopped you?"

…

Harry woke slowly. He was comfortable and warm and…

He couldn't remember the last time he'd woken up slowly. Calmly.

He blinked his eyes open and found himself looking up at Severus, who was gazing down at him fondly, long fingers stroking through Harry's messy black hair.

"How are you feeling?"

"I…" Harry trailed off, his brain still trying to catch up with the situation. "I feel okay. Better than… did I sleep?"

Severus' lips tilted up. "You did. For five hours. Peacefully."

"Huh."

"Uh huh."

"You say that a lot to me."

"I know."

"So… I mean, you've been sitting there for… five hours?"

Severus nodded, and then when Harry opened his mouth to apologise, he shook his head. "Don't apologise. I chose to sit here, I could've moved at any time I wanted. I was perfectly comfortable."

"I remember Hermione telling me that physical contact with someone I trust might help but… I can't say I expected her to be right about it."

"I thought you lived by the rule of 'Hermione is always right'?"

"Well. Apparently I should."

"So it would seem."

Harry sat up slowly, cautiously testing his stomach. When it didn't roll in discomfort, he shifted until he was sitting beside Severus on the sofa, leaning into him a little. Severus didn't even hesitate to wrap an arm around him, allowing Harry to rest his head against his shoulder.

It was undoubtedly cuddling. Harry loved it immediately. He didn't want to ever have to move again.

"She, uh. So. The thing is, I might've been ignoring another nugget of advice from her lately."

"Oh?"

Harry nodded, swallowing hard. "She, uh, she thought it would be a good idea to ask you out. You know, to dinner. On a date. Of sorts."

"Okay."

"Is that something… that you would… like?"

"Perhaps you should ask and find out."

"I. Okay. I can do that." There was silence for a long moment. "Would you go to dinner with me? On a date? Please?"

…

Harry stood beside Ron in matching robes. It was a warm spring morning, and he felt so happy for his best friend.

In the third row, Severus was watching him with a glint of lust and affection in his eyes and Harry winked when their eyes met.

Ron swallowed, tapping his fingers against his hip nervously.

"I… so, Hermione really is always right, right?" he asked, turning to look at Harry, then following his gaze to Severus.

"Apparently," Harry agreed.

The wedding march sounded, and everyone turned their attention to the end of the aisle, where Lavender appeared looking absolutely stunning in her wedding gown.

"Apparently."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Character Appreciation - 26. Hogwarts

Disney - D5. Sometimes, who we wish we were, what we wish we could do, it's just not meant to be.

Lizzy's Loft - 9. Someone who takes on too much

Book Club - Hailey - "You hurt her, and I'll kill you." / Protest / Gold

Showtime - 5. Prosperity

Amber's Attic - 6. Falling in love with someone you shouldn't.

Lyric Alley - 16. To live my life the way I want

Ami's Audio - 11. Black

Sophie's Shelf - 7. Toasted Marshmallows

Emy's Emporium - 11. Gold

Angel's Arcade - 3. "Uh-oh." / Crash / Running

Lo's Lowdown - C4. Someone who doesn't want to be a hero.

Bex's Basement - 20. "I do some dumb things, and the people I love the most, they pay the price."

Film Festival - 9. "You look like a bag of dicks."

Zoo - Penguin Enclosure - Cuddling / Lonely / Mistake

Fantastic Beasts - 35. Nargle - Imagine / 25. Brunei - Post War

Marauders Map - 45. Relaxing / 92. Healer!au

Princess Day - 11. Tiana - Hardworking

Around the Board - 4. Trying to escape something

Autumn - Boots

Flower - Goldenrod - Golden Boy

Star Chart - Uranus at Opposition - Firefly


End file.
